How To Make Roman Shades (With Or Without Dowels)

Whether you’re doing a whole scale renovation or just a mini makeover, adding new curtains to a room can make all the difference. But sometimes you want a window treatment that is clean lined, doesn’t take up too much space around the window and doesn’t cost too much to make. Learning how to make roman shades (with or without dowels) may be just the solution you’re looking for!

How to make Roman shades

The best solution to decorating a small window to let the maximum amount of light into the room is often a very simple treatment like a Roman shade.

This type of window shade doesn’t take up much space around the window (especially if you install it inside the window frame), but still allows you to have a window treatment that coordinates with the room décor.

Although it looks complicated (and can be quite expensive to buy), a roman shade really isn’t that difficult to make on your own. It’s basically a straight piece of fabric that opens by a pulley system into flat folds at the top of the window.  Don’t be deterred by all of the little details involved.  Once you get the idea, it isn’t hard.

Can I Make Roman Shades Without Dowels?

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I have made roman shades with dowels and without dowels.

Using dowels helps to make the sections of the shade fold more neatly when you pull the shade up. But they require a little more effort and a few more supplies to make.

Making roman shades without dowels is a little easier but you may need to arrange the folds so they lay flat.

My rule of thumb is: If the roman shade is in a location where it tends to stay open (or closed) most of the time, I’ll make it without the dowels. If the position of the shade will change often, the dowels make it easier to use.

Supplies

Materials

  • fabric and lining (see the section below on measuring to find out how much you’ll need)
  • piping for the top (optional)
  • thread in a coordinating color for your fabric
  • ½” plastic rings*
  • small eye hooks*
  • nylon cord*
  • (optional) ¼ inch dowels* that are at least as wide as your window
  • 1 – ½ inch dowel that is at least as wide as your window
  • 1″x 2″ board
  • 1 blind cleat*
  • sewing needle
  • screws
  • 1½” corner braces (for outside frame mount only)
  • small drill bit

Tools

  • measuring tape
  • scissors
  • sewing machine
  • iron
  • stapler
  • measuring stick
  • drill

How Do You Measure A Window For Roman Shades?

There are two ways that you can install a Roman shade.

The first is so that it fits completely inside the window frame, which doesn’t take up any additional wall space at all.

The second is outside the window frame, so that the frame and part of the wall is covered by the shade.

Before you can measure for your window treatments, you need to decide which of these two options you’re going to use.

Inside The Window Frame Measurements

To do this, you need to take accurate window measurements to make sure that the blind is not going to be too small or too large.

How to measure for Roman shades installed Inside the window frame

Measure The Width

To get the width of the window, measure from the inside edge on the left side of the window frame to the inside edge on the right side of the window frame.

Repeat this 3 times – once at the top of the frame, once in the middle of the frame and once at the bottom of the frame. If you’re lucky, all three measurements will be the same…but I don’t think that’s ever happened to me 🙂

Take the SMALLEST of those three measurements as the width. Then subtract 1/8″. This is the finished width of your shade.

Note: If your window frame is really out of square and there is a big difference between your measurements, you may want to consider doing an outside the window frame installation. Otherwise, you will likely be able to see that the shade does not fit properly in some parts of the window.

Measure The Length

Next, you’ll need to measure the height of your window.

Start from the inside edge at the top of the frame and measure down to the window sill at the bottom of the frame. If you don’t have a window sill, measure down to the inside edge at the bottom of the frame.

Repeat this 3 times – once at the left side of the frame, once in the center of the frame and once at the right side of the frame.

Take the LARGEST of those three measurements as the height. This is the finished length of your shade.

Note: If you are making multiple shades for the same room, you’ll want to make them all the same length as the largest measurement across all the windows. That way the folds will all be even across them.

Outside The Window Frame Measurements

When you are installing the shade outside of your window frame, you have a little more leeway since the blind doesn’t have to fit exactly inside the frame.

How to measure for Roman shades installed outside the window frame

Measure The Width

To get the width of the window, measure from the outside edge on the left side of the window frame to the outside edge on the right side of the window frame.

Repeat this 3 times – once at the top of the frame, once in the middle of the frame and once at the bottom of the frame. If you’re lucky, all three measurements will be the same…but I don’t think that’s ever happened to me 🙂

Take the LARGEST of those three measurements as the width. Then add at least 4″ (so that the blind will overlap the frame by 2″ on either side). You can make it larger than this if you wish to make the blind wider than the window. This is the finished width of your shade.

Measure The Length

Next, you’ll need to measure the height of your window.

Start from the outside edge at the top of the frame and measure down to the window sill. If you don’t have a window sill, measure down to the inside edge of the bottom of the frame.

Repeat this 3 times – once at the left side of the frame, once in the center of the frame and once at the right side of the frame.

Take the LARGEST of those three measurements as the length.  Then add at least 2″. If you wish to make the blind taller than the window, you can add more than this to increase the height. This is the finished length of your shade.

Note: If you are making multiple shades for the same room, you’ll want to make them all the same length as the largest measurement across all the windows. That way the folds will all be even across them.

How Much Fabric Do You Need For Roman Shades?

To calculate the fabric width:

Add 4″ to the width that you want the shade to be (from the measurements above). For example, if your window width measurement is 36″, your fabric will need to be 36″ + 4″ = 40″ wide.

To calculate the fabric length with dowels:

Next you’ll need to calculate the length, which depends on the number of dowels you’ll be using. Each dowel adds an additional 1½” of fabric.

I usually plan to have a dowel every 8 inches and don’t worry too much if the top section is a little longer or shorter than the rest. Which means dividing the window length by 9½” to find out how many dowels are required. Then round the result to the closest whole number.

Then calculate the fabric length:  Desired height (from the measurements above) + (1½” x number the dowels) + 4″.

As an example, for a window that is 68″ tall:

68 divided by 9½ = 7.16

Round the number down to 7 since it is closer to 7 than to 8

Total amount of fabric required:  68″ + (1½” x 7) + 4″ = 82½”.

To calculate the fabric length without dowels:

If you aren’t using dowels for your roman shades, add 4″ to the length that you want your shade to be (from the measurements above). For example, if your window length is 78½”, your fabric length will be 78½” + 4″ = 82½”.

To calculate the lining size:

1. For the width of the lining, subtract 2″ from the width that you want the finished shade to be. In our example, the shade width is 36″ wide so the lining width will be 36″ – 2″ = 34″ wide.

2. To calculate the length of the lining, subtract 1″ from the fabric length you calculated above. In our example, the fabric length is 82½” so the lining length will be 82½” – 1″ = 81½”.

How To Sew Roman Shades

Cut The Fabric

Measure and cut the fabric for the roman shades

Measure and cut the fabric and lining as calculated.

To make sure that you are cutting in a straight line:

a. Make a small cut in the side of the fabric where one of the edges will be.

b. Find the end of a thread that is coming out from the cut.

Pull a thread in the fabric to make sure your cuts are straight

c. Keep pulling on this thread until it comes all the way out of the fabric.  You will be able to see the line that is left behind…this will create a straight line that you can use as a guide for cutting.

Sew The Sides

Line up the top edges of the Roman shade fabric and the lining

1. With the right sides of the fabric and lining together (facing towards each other), line up the top edges so that they are even. Make sure that the pattern of the fabric will be hanging the right way when the curtain is hung.

2. Sew the fabric and lining at the sides with a ½” seam.  Note that the fabric will be 1″ longer than the lining at the bottom.

3. Turn the fabric and lining so that the right sides are facing out.

4. Lay out the fabric with the lining side up.

Center the lining in the middle of the fabric

5. Center the lining over the fabric so that there is an equal amount of fabric showing on each edge.

Press the fold to make it stay in place

6. Use the iron to press the edges flat.

Sew The Bottom Gusset

Turn over the bottom edge of the Roman shade fabric so it covers the lining

1. Fold the fabric at the bottom of the curtain towards the back 2 inches so that it covers the bottom of the lining.

2. Press the fold flat with the iron.

3. Open the folded fabric you just ironed.

Press a half inch hem on the raw edge of the fabric

4. Fold the raw edge of the fabric over ½”.

5. Press the fold flat with the iron.

Sew along the pressed hem to create a gusset for the bottom dowel

6. Stitch all the way across the shade close to the edge of the fabric at the top of the fold. This will create a tube that the bottom dowel will fit in, so make sure to leave the ends of the tube open.

(Optional) Sew The Gussets For The Dowels

If you are making roman shades without dowels, you can skip this step and go on to the next one.

Measure the spacing for the dowel guessets

1. Lay the fabric out on a flat surface with the lining side facing up.

2. Measure 8″ up from the bottom at each side edge. Draw a pencil line between these two places along the entire width of the fabric using a yard stick.

Draw lines across the lining where the dowel gussets will be sewn

3. Measure 9½” up from the bottom at each side edge. Draw a pencil line between these two places along the entire width of the fabric using a yard stick.

Pin the lining and the fabric together to keep it in place

4. Pin the lining and fabric together randomly in between these two lines to hold the 2 fabrics in place.

Match the lines up and sew them together

5. Now, with right sides of the fabric facing each other, fold the shade so that the two lines meet.

6. Pin all the way across fabric along the lines.

7. Sew along the line so that you have created a tube that the dowel will fit in.

8. Repeat this process by measuring 8″ up (and then 9½” up) from the newly sewn line.  Pin and sew as described. Continue until you are approximately 10″ from the top.

(Optional) Add Top Piping

Piping at the top of a Roman shade

For a finished professional look, you can add piping to the top of the shade where it will be attached to the mounting board.

1. To do this, measure up from the bottom of the roman shade to your desired finished length of the shade.

For a professional finished look, sew piping at the top edge of the Roman shade

2. Sew piping across the width of the fabric with the unfinished piping edges pointed up towards the top of the roman shade.

Attach the plastic rings

1. Lay the shade on a flat surface with the lining facing up.

Measuring stick used to determine the spacing for Roman blind rings

2. Figure out how far apart the rings should be.

  • There should be one ring placed about 1″ in from each side of the shade.
  • Then additional rings should placed about 10″ apart across the width of the shade. The shade will work best if the rings are placed an equal distant apart so you may have to adjust the 10″ spacing slightly to work with the width of your roman shade.
  • Use pins to mark the spacing across the back of your shade
Roman blind ring being sewn onto the fabric with a sewing needle and thread

2. Use a sewing needle to attach the rings.

The first one should be about 1″ in from the edge of the fabric at the bottom seam line.

Roman shade ring attached to the bottom hem of the window treatment

3. Continue along the bottom seam line, sewing on additional rings about 10″ apart (using whatever spacing you decided on above).

4. Sew the last ring on the bottom seam line about 1″ in from the other side.

5. Using a pencil, draw a line from each of the rings in the bottom seam to the top of the shade. Make sure the line is straight up and down or your shade won’t open evenly.

6. Repeat the row of rings going up the length of the fabric:

Rows of rings sewn onto the back of a Roman shade
  • If you used dowels, the rings will be placed along the back edge of the dowel folds.
  • If you did not use dowels, you’ll need to draw lines across the width of the fabric using a pencil. The lines should be 8″ apart starting from the bottom of the shade.
Dowel being inserted into the back of a Roman shade

7. Insert the ½” dowel into the bottom gusset, and the ¼” dowels (if you are using them) into the other gussets.

Prepare The Mounting Board

1. Cut the 1″ x 2″ board so that it is the same length as the finished width of your roman shade.

Fabric being stapled onto a Roman shade mounting board

2. Wrap the board with left over fabric and staple it onto the back of the board.

Roman shade being stapled onto the mounting board

3. Securely staple the unfinished top of the curtain to the 2″ side of the board. If you used piping, make sure that it is lined up with the top edge of the board.

Excess fabric being cut from the Roman shade mounting board

4. Trim off any extra fabric on the board behind the staples.

Eye hooks installed on the Roman shade mounting board

5. Screw small eye hooks into the board so that they match the spacing of the rings on the shade. It is easier to get the eye hooks into the board if you pre-drill the hole with a small drill bit.

The shade should now fall straight down with the piping at the top when the board is held up.

Thread The Control Cords

1. Cut the cord into pieces. To determine the length of the cords, add the finished width to the finished length plus 60 inches. For example, if the finished width is 36″ and the finished length is 78″,  you cord will need to be 36″ + 78″ + 60″ = 174″ long.

Cord being tied on a Roman shade ring

2. Tie a cord securely to each of the bottom rings.

Cord threaded through the rings on the back of a Roman shade

3. String the cords individually through the rings so that each one goes straight up to the top of the roman shade, and through the matching eye screw on the mounting board.

The back of a Roman shade with dowels, rings and cords installed

4. Then thread all of the cords through the eye hooks on the mounting board so that the ends are all on one side of the board.  i.e. Cord 1 goes through eye hook 1 only. Cord 2 goes though eye hooks 2 and then 1. Cord 3 goes through eye hooks 3, then 2 and 1. Cord 4 goes through eye hook 4, then 3, then 2 and 1 etc.

Hang the Roman Shade

1. Attach the roman shade:

  • For an inside the window frame mount, use screws to attach the mounting board (and the shade) under the top of the window frame so that the piping is along the edge of the frame.
  • For an outside the window frame mount, attach 1½” corner braces to the wall. The bracket should be installed so that the top of it (the part that is sticking out) is 3/4″ below the desired curtain height. If you are covering a wide window, you’ll need to install one or two extra brackets in the middle to prevent the mounting board from sagging.
Roman shade eye hooks with cord running through them

2. Add one additional eye hook in the wall close to the mounting board.

3. Pull all of the cords through this.

Roman shade cord clip

4. Attach a cleat below this at a convenient height for winding the cords around when the shade is open.

5. Cut off any excess cord.

Note: If you have young children in your home, for safety reasons, you may want to make sure the cords are in a location that they cannot reach.

Well, you made it to the end. Hopefully, you were able to make yourself some homemade roman shades that go with your decor!

Other Decorating Ideas You Might Like

Have comments of questions on how to make roman shades? Tell us in the section below.

This post was originally published on March 26, 2019 but was updated with new content on March 22, 2023.


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64 Comments

  1. Hi, thank you for the tutorial. I was wondering if the lining could béa quilted fabric for insulation? Thank you again

    1. Hello Nina, I have never used quilted fabric to line a roman shade. I think it would make the shade too bulky to pull up. I would be inclined to use blackout lining instead, which would act as insulation and block the light.

  2. Many thanks for your prompt reply. I just discovered you and can’t wait to read more on your site.

  3. I really enjoyed the tutorial. It’s been years since I made Roman shades. How do you feel about sewing tub/tube tape onto the shade instead of pinching the fabric and the lining together to make a tunnel for the dowel? Thanks.

    1. Hello Sherry, I have never used the tube tape but some reviewers say it works well. Others report that it puckers. I guess you will have to decide on the risk you want to take.

  4. Melinda Sanford says:

    Thank you sew much for this tutorial! I have been sewing many years and was looking for an easier way to make roman shades. Found you on pinterest. This tutorial is the best and easiest I have ever come across. Signed up for the newsletter also. Thank you for sharing.❤❤

    1. Melinda, I’m glad you found the information useful. Welcome aboard!

  5. Hi,
    I too had questions regarding the width of the lining. In the comments you explain that the width of the lining is 2″ less than the width of the window(or shade). However, in the instructions it is explained as 2″ less than the fabric width that that we calculated.

    Your example is a 36″ wide window – with 40″ width of fabric. The directions indicate that the lining would be 38″ – when instead it should be 34″.

    Am I interpreting that correctly? That the calculation of the lining size in the directions is off?

    Otherwise – I think they are absolutely well done. I only wish I could pull a string from my fabric to help with the cutting and the lines.. 🙂

    1. Jeni, the lining should be 2″ smaller than the width of the finished shade.

  6. Your directions for determining the length aren’t making sense for me. Are we not shortening the fabric by .75inches each time we form a tube for the doweling?Shouldn’t that be taken into account when determining the length to cut the fabric in addition to the extra 2” at the bottom for the hem?

    1. Cindy, You need to add 3/4 of an inch to the length for every dowel tube you plan to make, and as you say 2″ for the bottom hem. This will insure that the finished length will be the size of the window. Hope this helps.

  7. Linda Geiger says:

    Hi,
    My window measures 60 in wide and I have not found dowels long enough. I was thinking of using .5in PVC. Do you think that might work? Or is 60 inches just too wide to do a Roman SHADE?
    Thank you!

    1. Hello Linda, I have made a roman shade for a wide patio door that worked well. I used strong nylon cord so that it would be able to withstand the weight when pulling the shade up. I think 1/2″pvc could be a substitute for dowels but may not be rigid enough. I found a site on line that has wooden dowels the size you need –www.bairdbrothers.com/Poplar-516-Dowel-Rod-DR516-P2291.aspx. Good luck!

      1. You could also use a dowel splicer. They are usually sold where they sell dowels and allow you to put two or more dowels together to get the length you need.

        1. Wanda Simone says:

          Thanks for the suggestion, Tammy!

  8. Estela R. Padilla says:

    Thanks so much. I got the fabric and all materials necessary, I’m going to enjoy making this for the kitchen in my new home 😍

  9. I am a blogger but have never seen Roman shade and I need two small ones for my bathrooms. This tutorial is perfect and showed me every single step I need. Off to the fabric store. Thank you

    1. Good luck. Glad we could be helpful.

  10. Hi Wanda, I just want to clarify something before I cut my fabric/ lining. The size of my final shade is to
    be 40×40. So, I believe following your instructions, the fabric should be 44×44. I would like to double check the lining size, however. Is it to be cut 2 in smaller than the final shade (so in this case 38in) or 2 in smaller than the fabric (so on this case 42 in)? I just want to be good and sure about the instructions before I go ahead and cut, as I’m sure you can understand 😃✂️. Thank you for your help.

    1. Hello Katie, You are right, the fabric should be cut 44″ x 44″. The lining needs to be 2″ narrower than the window or 38″ wide.
      The lining length should be 1″ shorter than the fabric length, or 43″ in your case. Hope this clarifies.

  11. Hi Wanda, Thank you for the tuitorial. I’m about to start sewing, but want to clarify why you added 4″ to the fabric if the seam allowance is only 1″? My finished width is 32 1/2 for an inside mount. If I add 4″ to my fabric width and use a 1″ seam allowance, wouldn’t my finished blind be an inch larger than my opening?

    Thank you kindly

    1. Wanda Simone says:

      Hi June…the extra 4 inches is so you can fold the fabric to the back at the sides. The lining is cut 2″ narrower than the width of your shade. So you’ll need to fold over 2″ on both sides of your front fabric in order to join it to that back panel (1″ covers the gap between the edge of the shade and the side of the lining and the other inch is for the seam allowance). Folding the front fabric over like that prevents the lining from peaking through on the front side. I hope that helps!

      1. Thank you for the explanation Wanda.

  12. This is wonderful. I really enjoyed them. I have a 90″ and a 93″ window in two corners of the same room. I have inside-window-valetian blinds currently and want to make make a roman sheers blind, to hang on the outside of the window frame. I don’t think the blinds will be opened much, maybe once or twice on occasion. Would you suggest 1 big blind, or 2 for each window?

    Thanx

    1. Hello Carli, Aesthetically, I think one big blind would look better. Practically, it will be a lot of material to handle but it could be done, especially since you will not be opening and closing the blinds on a regular basis. Be sure your eye hooks are well anchored and space the plastic rings a little further than 10 inches apart. Good luck!

  13. Can this pattern be adjusted to make them a tab top curtain rod? Love the tab top idea.

    1. Mona, The only way to make it a tab top would be to leave the curtain straight down all the time. You would not need the rings at the back.

  14. These are the most detailed and informative instructions for making Roman shades. I have scoured the internet and read many instructions and this one is the most complete ( and user-friendly for a beginner ).

    However, you only show how to do a shade with one width of fabric, and many will have wider windows that need more than one “cut”.
    A tutorial on pattern repeat and how to figure yardage with a pattern repeat would be helpful to many not-as-experienced seamstresses. Otherwise, some may find they are short on fabric.

    If nothing else, a reminder to place a dominate part of the pattern in the same place when making multiple blinds is so important. For example- make sure the large bouquet of peonies is at the top of each blind, and be careful that all the bouquets are facing the same direction (peonies on top, lilacs on the left side). Many patterns look as if they could go both directions, but once the shades are installed, a difference could be a very costly and noticeable mistake.
    Thank you!!

    1. Thank you Suki for the suggestions. You make a good point about being cognizant about pattern repeats and uniformity of pattern placement on multiples. It is very important for symmetry and aesthetics.

    2. Karen Bowden says:

      I completely agree! I am an experienced sewist and some of the tutorials I’ve seen just didn’t make sense, doing things twice as difficult as need be. This was thorough and easy to follow. Thank you!

  15. Hello, this is a GREAT article!! But how do you get the fabric to be on the back when u turn it inside out?

    1. Hello Mik, There is no fabric on the back, except on the edges. The fabric is cut wider than the window measurements and the lining is cut smaller than the fabric. When it is pressed flat, the edges will make a fold in the fabric so that it has a fabric return on both sides. Be sure to centre the lining over the fabric after you turn the curtain right side out and before you press the edges.

  16. Novice12Sew says:

    Hello, this is a GREAT article!! But how do u get ur fabric to be on the edges of the liner on the inside when u turn right side out?

    1. Hello, The lining is cut smaller than the fabric so that when you turn it to the right side and press it flat, there will be some of the fabric on the edges of the liner.

  17. Elizabeth Squires says:

    Can I hang on rod rather than drilling into top

    1. I’m not clear on what you mean, Beth. The top board is used to hold the eye-hooks which carry the weight of the curtain when it is pulled up and down. I suppose you could put these little eye-hooks into the window frame and then the curtain could be hung from a rod. I don’t know if the curtain would stay straight enough horizontally if it was threaded on a rod as opposed to stapled on to a board.

  18. Awesome tutorial! I have followed it step by step to create a beautiful, professional-looking Roman shade. One question. When it says to insert a 1/2” dowel in the bottom gusset does that mean in the hem? I’m to that step and want to do it right. Thanks.

    1. Hi Patti, I’m glad the instructions were useful. A dowel in the bottom hem keeps the curtain straight horizontally when you pull it up and down and when it is in the up position. Hope this clarifies.

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    1. Thank you for your encouraging comments.

  21. Thanks a lot to you for sharing about how to make roman shades here, these kinds of ideas are much needed. I really appreciate that you have provided the data too, really appreciative and useful blog for us. Looking for more!!

  22. I want to attach a Roman shade without dowels across to Windows, as I am using a large check pattern. The shade will remain closed. This will be approximately 90 inches wide. Is this possible without to much weight? The shade will have a blackout lining

    1. Hello Kathleen, I think it will be okay, especially since you are not moving the shade up and down. I would make sure the board that you use to hold the shade at the top is well anchored to the studs. Your large check will look stunning!

  23. I have been searching for detailed instruction and yours are great. I am wondering how you wash these since they are stapled into the mounting cleat. We Are moving to the country with lots of dust. I imagine they will need to be laundered regularly.

    1. Hello Mandy, Roman shades are a lot of work to launder. You have to remove them from the mounting board, remove all cords and dowels before washing and then put them back together afterword. Instead of stapling the shade to the mounting board, you could use velcro. Staple one side of the velcro strip to the board and sew the corresponding velcro strip to the top of the shade. I would attach the velcro to the narrow outer edge of the board at the top of the window so that you do not have to remove the board each time you want to take down the shade. You would need to clean finish the top of the shade by turning in a 1/2 inch hem along the piping and under the velcro as you sew it on. Good luck with your move!

  24. Love the tutorial and am looking forward to trying this project on my own. I may have overlooked this detail, but do you mind sharing where you found this fabric? I really love it!

    1. Wanda Simone says:

      Hi Abbi…It came from JoAnn‘s. It was in their outdoor fabric section. I bought it last year so I’m not sure if they are still carrying it, but you might get lucky 🙂

      1. I am excited to make these for our new home! Thanks for the tutorial… it has been years since I made them! Cana you tell me a good source to buy “white” Blackout Lining Fabric?

  25. I’m very interested in making the Roman shades. I got my password and went into the resource library but can find the printable instructions. I must be missing something!

    1. Wanda Simone says:

      Sorry about that Maureen (it’s kind of hidden in the middle of the DIY section). I’ll send you the link.

  26. I’d love to see a picture of the blind in the closed position and another shot from the side. I don’t understand how visible the dowels are and if they make the shade less flush with the window–I am going to sew a blackout liner into mine but I don’t want gaps leaking light on the sides. I’m worried the dowels will make that happen! Also, does the pattern on the front look strange when the blind is closed bc of the gussets for the dowels? Thanks!

    1. Hello Alex,
      Very little light escapes from the roman shade we depict in this tutorial because it fits between bookshelves. You would get less light from the sides with an inside mount installation. I would suggest that you make your shade without dowels to eradicate your concerns about gaps and pattern interruption. Most of the roman shades I have made were sewn without dowels. The advantage of using dowels is that they eliminate the need to adjust the pleats when the blind is opened. This becomes less of a problem as the fabric develops a pleat memory with use. The dowels are not seen from the ends unless they are cut too long. Sorry that we did not think to provide the pictures you suggest.

  27. Nan Dickinson says:

    Good evening,
    Thank you for the tutorial. I can hardly wait to get started on the roman shade for my new window. I will use wood dowels in my creation as I don’t like the looks of a ‘slumpy’ shade.
    Co-vid 2020 shade.
    Take care.

    1. Nan, Your shade sounds like it will really augment your new window. Happy sewing!

    2. If we’d also like to have blinds in our windows is there a different way to mount it?

      1. Wanda Simone says:

        Hi Alys…If you mount the blinds on the inside of the window frame, then you can hang the roman shade outside the window frame. They should work together with no problems.

  28. thanks for the great details! I’m looking for directions to make faux roman shades. Have you ever posted anything like this?

    thanks!

    1. sorry, more — I’m looking for outside mount faux roman shades

    2. Hello Jane,
      Sorry, we do not have a post on faux roman shades, and I have never made them. You could check out the instructions at http://www.impartinggrace.com/2011/05/faux-roman-shade-tutorial.html. However they are not outside mounted. You would have to attach something to the walls outside your windows for the tension rods to press against–rather unsightly, I imagine. Good luck!